1. Plant Overview

• Type: Annual, warm-season vine crop
• Family: Cucurbitaceae (same as cucumber, pumpkin, squash)
• Growth Habit: Creeping, trailing vine with large lobed leaves and yellow flowers
• Pollination: Cross-pollinated (mostly by bees)
• Climate: Hot, dry climate with full sunlight; temperature 25–35°C is ideal

2. Growing Duration

• Germination: 4–8 days (depending on soil temperature, best at 25–30°C)
• Vegetative Growth: 25–30 days after germination
• Flowering: Around 30–35 days after sowing
• Fruit Set: 40–45 days after sowing
• Harvesting: Hybrid varieties are usually ready in 70–90 days after sowing (some early hybrids mature in 65–70 days).

3. Harvesting Details

• Maturity Indicators:
  • Tendril near the fruit stem turns brown/dry
  • Fruit makes a dull/hollow sound when tapped
  • The belly (underside touching soil) turns creamy yellow
• Yield (Hybrid Varieties):
  • 30–40 tons per hectare under good management
  • Each fruit weighs 3–6 kg (some hybrids can reach 8–10 kg)

4. Plant Requirements

• Soil: Sandy loam with good drainage, pH 6.0–7.5
• Irrigation: Requires regular irrigation in early growth, but water should be reduced during ripening (too much water reduces sweetness).
• Spacing: 1.5–2.5 m between rows and 0.6–1.2 m between plants
• Fertilizer (per hectare):
  • FYM (Farm Yard Manure): 15–20 tons
  • NPK: 100:50:50 kg (Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium) split into basal + top dressing
• Pests/Diseases: Aphids, fruit flies, downy mildew, powdery mildew; managed with IPM practices.

5. Fruit Characteristics (Hybrid Watermelon)

• Shape: Round or oblong (depends on hybrid type)
• Rind Color: Green with dark green stripes or uniform dark green
• Flesh Color: Deep red (sometimes yellow in special hybrids)
• Sweetness: High sugar content (10–12° Brix, some hybrids reach 13–14° Brix)
• Texture: Crisp, juicy flesh with few seeds or seedless (depending on hybrid)